The Bharatiya Janata Party will have much to cheer about on Saturday, with results to Assembly elections in three North East Indian states – Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland – putting the saffron outfit in the driver’s seat in the region. Although final results are yet to be declared, the trends by afternoon suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party was set to win outright in Tripura and was likely to be in a position to form the government in both the other states, though that will still depend on successfully stitching up alliances with regional players.
While the main focus has been on the BJP’s performance across the three states, the results are likely to also turn the spotlight on the shrinking presence of the Congress – which was once the pole around which elections in the region operated – as well as the diminishing fortunes of the Left, which is on course to be out of power in Tripura for the first time in 25 years. In Nagaland and Meghalaya, local players have taken the place that was once occupied by the Congress.
Here is what is happening in each of the states:
Tripura
Trends from the Election Commission suggest that the BJP has managed to bring down the Left government, which had been in power in the state for 25 years. As of 3.30 pm, the alliance of the BJP and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura were leading in as many as 43 seats, which would put them well over the half-way mark of 30 in the 60-strong Assembly. The Left, at the same time, had leads in just 16 seats, down from the 50 it had managed in 2013. If these trends hold, the BJP – which had just 1.54% of the vote share in elections five years ago – will form the government along with the IPFT, its junior partner.
You can follow live results here.
Meghalaya
Results in Meghalaya are the least certain of the three states where counting took place on Saturday, in part because of how well spread out the vote share was. More than five parties got vote shares of over 10% each, meaning the final result is likely to be a hung Assembly, especially since there were no major pre-poll alliances among parties even though some of them are allied outside the state.
As of 3.30 pm, the incumbent Congress is on course to be the single largest party, with 21 seats in the 60-strong Assembly. The National People’s Party, which is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre but was not contesting in an alliance with it in the state, is leading in 19 seats. These are followed by a clutch of smaller regional parties, and the BJP, which is leading in just 2 seats.
Despite this result, the BJP might still be in a position to be part of the government in the state, considering its relationship with the NPP, and the likelihood that the regional parties may work to build an alliance that keeps the BJP-ruled Centre on their side.
You can follow live updates here.
Nagaland
In Nagaland, the BJP broke its 15-year-old alliance with the ruling Naga People’s Front ahead of elections to tie up with the newly formed Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, run by former Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. The main fight in the state was thus likely to be between the incumbent NPF and the challenger NDPP, along with its junior ally, the BJP.
As of 3.30 pm, the NDPP-BJP alliance is leading in 27 seats, while the NPF along with its ally, the National People’s Party, is leading in 25 seats. If those are the final results, the 60-member Assembly would be hung, forcing either side to cobble together an alliance that would constitute a majority. Analysts expect that the BJP will be a part of the government, whether it involves the NDPP or the NPF, since its position of power at the Centre gives it leverage.
You can follow live updates for the Nagaland results here.
The Assembly elections were held in Tripura on February 18 and in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. The polls were marred by faulty voting machines and violence in some constituencies. The Election Commission had ordered re-polling in at 11 booths in eight constituencies in Nagaland and at six booths in six constituencies in Tripura.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!